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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22530769">From Her Beacon-Hand</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CallmeCordelia/pseuds/CallmeCordelia'>CallmeCordelia</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Developing Relationship, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Fix-It, Multi, Past Abuse, Psychological Trauma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 12:27:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,076</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22530769</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CallmeCordelia/pseuds/CallmeCordelia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lilith seeks asylum, but what will she find?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Faustus Blackwood/Zelda Spellman (past), Sabrina Spellman &amp; Zelda Spellman, Zelda Spellman/Mary Wardwell | Madam Satan | Lilith</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>62</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Madam Spellman 2020 Challenge</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>From Her Beacon-Hand</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>My submission for the Madam Spellman 2020 Challenge<br/>Theme: Fix-it</p><p>Warning: Zelda and Lilith both have a lot of trauma to work through and that is acknowledged in this fic, but there is nothing explicit. You can expect significant deviations from canon.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“The Dark Lord runs free, Zelda. I need asylum.”<br/>
</p><p>The High Priestess' answering stare would've turned a lesser being to stone. One hand perched on her hip, she took a long drag on her cigarette. A veil of smoke momentarily blocked her assessing gaze.<br/>
</p><p>“Ambrose!” The deep timbre of her voice echoed through the mortuary and within moments the young warlock was leaning over the banister. His eyes widened as they locked onto the Queen of Hell.<br/>
</p><p>“Yes, Auntie?”<br/>
</p><p>“Tell your Aunt Hilda to set another place for dinner.”<br/>
</p><p>He nodded, still gaping as he trudged away in search of Hilda.<br/>
</p><p>“Come.” Rather than leading Lilith further into the house, Zelda stood sentinel beside the open front door.<br/>
</p><p>Lilith tilted her head questioningly, but followed. At the edge of the property, Zelda whipped around to face her and Lilith was greeted with the glint of a dagger in the moonlight. It was the same dagger she had given the Spellman matriarch in their first battle against Lucifer.<br/>
</p><p>Zelda’s pale palm leaked red. <i>“An’ ye harm none within, do what ye will.”*</i><br/>
</p><p>Lilith held her gaze as she nodded, taking up the proffered dagger. <i>“I honour your path. I drink from your well. I bring an unprotected heart to our meeting place. I will none harm, but swear my protection on all within.”**</i><br/>
</p><p>Lilith linked their forearms, matching smears of blood sealing their pact.<br/>
</p><p>She watched Zelda sigh, nodding in self-assurance.<br/>
</p><p>“I’ve given you many reasons to distrust me, but you will not regret your charity.”<br/>
</p><p>Handkerchief compressed against the cut, the High Priestess’ mask snapped back into place. “The blood oath will ensure that.”<br/>
</p><p>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>
</p><p>She stood in the doorway to Zelda’s bedroom watching her fluff pillows and smooth sheets. “You needn’t vacate on my account.”<br/>
</p><p>“Nonsense. Between what's left of the coven and the hedge witches, the spare rooms are full at the moment, as is the Academy and the desecrated church. It would hardly be appropriate for the Queen of Hell to ‘couch surf’ as Ambrose calls it.” Zelda’s response was clipped and she still hadn’t met her gaze, not since their pact was made. “Besides, I spend most nights in the nursery.”<br/>
</p><p>Lilith ventured into the room far enough to close the door behind her, feeling every bit the intruder that she was. “Perhaps you and the twins could stay in here? Another set of hands couldn’t hurt.” Her offer was awkwardly delivered and coldly received.<br/>
</p><p>“That isn’t necessary. Prudence, Hilda and I can manage.” Zelda’s face held no emotion as she moved to brush past Lilith.<br/>
</p><p>“It was a mistake for me to come here. I- In the moment, I remembered your prayer and thought that meant the past was behind us, but I can see now that I was wrong. I have no desire to add to your burden.”<br/>
</p><p>“You groomed Sabrina for- For <i>Him</i>. That I can neither forget nor forgive. But I-” She shook her head, struggling to maintain her stoic composure. “We are united by a common enemy.”<br/>
</p><p>“That’s not all that unites us. My crimes against your family were not of my own will.” Catching her hand, Lilith implored her to understand. "Or have you forgotten what it is to live under a tyrant?"<br/>
</p><p>Snatching her hand back, Zelda crossed her arms and retreated out of reach. The tendons in her throat tightened as she swallowed. When at last her gaze met Lilith’s, her careful mask was back in place. “Dinner is being served now, if you’re hungry. Otherwise, we will reconvene at dawn.”<br/>
</p><p>The door snapped closed a little more firmly than was necessary.</p><p>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ </p><p>	She enjoyed the little nighttime rituals she’d developed over the months in Mary Wardwell’s body. Sleep was hardly necessary, but there was something tranquil about stretching out across a queen-sized mattress finding shapes in the plaster ceiling. Zelda’s bed couldn’t have been more different from Mary's. Egyptian cotton in place of flannel, feather downs instead of synthetic, the scent of tobacco and jasmine. The scent of <i>her.</i> It was intoxicating, maddeningly so.<br/>
</p><p>She lied there, worrying the corner of the duvet and haunted by images of red curls and redder lips until she could stand it no longer. The floor was cold beneath her feet as she treaded lightly into the hallway. Where she intended to wander was left unanswered as light flickered from beneath the nursery door.<br/>
</p><p>She felt a little ridiculous with her ear pressed against the door, but for some reason she couldn’t draw herself away. Zelda’s voice was softer than she’d ever heard it as she finished a lullaby, something about sheep and shepherds. “That’s my girl. We don’t want to wake your brother. He’ll be cranky and then so will you, won’t you, my darling?”<br/>
</p><p>The lightest raps and she eased the door open. Zelda wore a loose cotton nightgown, buttoned up to her throat, a world away from the black lace négligé that had occupied Lilith's thoughts ever since the frightful Batibat incident. A thick amber plait fell over her left shoulder and a few stray hairs had escaped at the nape of her neck and over her ear. There was not a stitch of make up on her face, only thinly veiled annoyance.<br/>
</p><p>“Bathroom is the last door on your left.” The babe cradled in her arms reached up to clasp Zelda's finger as she stood.<br/>
</p><p>“Couldn’t sleep. Suppose I’m out of practice.” Lilith's eyes were drawn to the large crib where Blackwood’s other spawn was snoring softly. “Not like this one.”<br/>
</p><p>Zelda positioned herself, between Lilith and the boy, the girl still cradled safely in her arms. A lioness guarding her cubs, but there was still a certain softness to her features. “I apologise if we disturbed you.”<br/>
</p><p>“Not at all.” Lilith's gaze drifted to the still pristinely-made bed. “I take it you haven’t slept either?”<br/>
</p><p>Zelda eyed her for a moment before answering. “Leticia tends to get fussy at night.”<br/>
</p><p>“Hungry?” Lilith ventured a guess, feeling a bit out of her depth. Mother of Demons or not she would hardly have considered herself a maternal figure.<br/>
</p><p>Zelda smiled down at the babe in her arms and a few more stands fell forward to frame her face. “Just likes to be held, don’t you?”<br/>
</p><p>Lilith didn’t realise she had stepped closer until the babe’s brown eyes found her. She squawked in greeting and Zelda breathed a laugh that sent a flutter of warmth through Lilith.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The title is from Emma Lazarus' The New Colossus (the poem written in tribute to the Statue of Liberty)</p><p>*Wiccan Rede (slightly altered)<br/>**Druid Vow of Friendship (altered)</p><p>Well, it's messy to say the least, but it feels good to be writing again. I basically threw out canon like the rubbish it was and this is going to be a mutli-chapter fix-it fic.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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